Child&#39;s sulky.



R. H. BROWN.

CHILD'S SULKY.

APPLICATION FILED IAN-3. 1916.

1 ,Q1 5,7? 1 a Patented Feb. 13, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

II I I R. H. BROWN. CHiLDS SULKY.

APPLICATIQN FILED JAN-3.1916.

1,215,771 Patented Feb. 13, 1917.

2 SHEET$-SHEET 2.

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REINHARDT H. BROWN, OF LAPORTE, INDIANA.

orrrnns sULKY.

Application filed January 3, 1916.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, REINHARDT H. BROWN, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Laporte, in the county of Laporte and State ofIndiana, have invented certain new and useful Improve ments in ChildrensSulkies, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactspecification.

My invention is concerned with childrens sulkies, and is designed toproduce a noncollapsible sulky of the class described that shall be verysimple in its construction, yet easy riding, strong and durable, andthat can be manufactured for a minimum expense.

My invention is further concerned with an adjustable tongue forchildrens sulkies so that they can be drawn along with the body heldlevel by persons of different heights.

To these ends, it consists of certain novel elements and combinations ofelements such as will be hereinafter described in full and particularlypointed out in the claims.

To illustrate my invention, I have annexed hereto two sheets of drawingsin which the same reference characters are used to designate identicalparts in all the figures, of which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of asulky embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section on an enlarged scale on line22 of Fig 3;

Fig. 3 is a plan view. in section on the line 33 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4t is a detail side elevation 011 a still larger scale of theadjustable joint for the tongue;

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the same; and

Fig. 6 is a detail in section on the line 66 of Fig. 4.

The body 10 of the sulky may be of any desired construction, and I haveillustrated the same as being of the wicker basket type. Secured to thisbody is one or more bars or base-boards 11, and at the front end Isecure thepair of leaf springs 12, which are curved. into the shapeshown, and are secured at 13 to the main frame l t in any suitablemanner as by rivets passed through the springs and the frame, the framebeing preferably constructed of a metal tube bent into the shape to bedescribed. At the rear end I secure to the bars 11 the leaf springs 15,which have secured thereto at 16, as by Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 133, 1917.

Serial No. 69,791.

rivets, the leaf springs 17, which are secured at their lower ends tothe frame M as by the rivets 18. T preferably pass these rivets not onlythrough the springs 17, but also through a pair of brace bars 19extending across the frame so that a single pair of rivets connects thefour sections together. This frame 14 is of a ii-shape in its generaloutline, as seen in Fig. 3, but it has the two swelled portions 20 tobring tne strap yolres 1 connecting the frame to the axle 22 nearer thewheels s3, which are of the customary construction and are journalod onthe ends of the axle in the customary manner. These yokes or bracketsare preferably constructed of short strips of sheet metal of the generalii-shape shown, having their ends riveted to the under side of theswelled portions of the frame l-l, while their central portions areriveted on the top of the axle 22, the main body of which preferablyconsists of a square bar. The rear ends 24; of the frame are turneddown, as shown, and flattened, so that the small wheels 25 may bejournaled thereon. These wheels are for use in hauling the sulky up anddown over steps or curb stones. The tongue is preferably made of twoportions 26 and 27, which may be made of square vooden bars bent intothe shape shown, and which are preferably connected by the adjustablejoint best shown in Figs. 41-, 5, and 6. Also portion 26 has its rearend bolted or riveted to the under side of the center of the axle 22,while it is similarly secured to the under side of the center of thefront portion of the main frame 14. The supporting standard 28 ispreferably constructed of a bar of sheet metal which is bent into what Imay call a W-shape, the top of the central portion 29 being riveted orotherwise secured to the under side of the portion 26 of the tongue,while the upper ends of the outer sides 30 are similarly secured to theunder side of the frame let, preferably by the same rivets or bolts 13that secure the springs 19. to the frame 1%. The central portion 29 ofthe standard 28 has its longest cross-section along the length of thesulky, while the outer portions 30 have their longest crosssectiontransversely of the sulky, this effect being procured by the twists 31.This novel construction produces a simple and cheaply constructedstandard of an attractive de sign.

The adjustable joint for the tongue may of course be used with othertypes of sulkies, and it is preferably constructed mainly of sheetmetal, the fired portion 32 being constructed of sheet metal with thebody portion thereof bent into U-shape so as to fit over the portion 26of the tongue and be secured thereto by the transverse rivet or bolt 38passed through the sides, and the vertical bolt or rivet 3 passedthrough the top portion and body of the tongue, as clearly shown. Beyondthe body portion are the cars 35 of the pivot 36 of the joint, andbeyond these cars are the segmental portions 37 having a plurality ofnotches 38 therein, the notched portion being curved on the arc of acircle with the rivet 36 as the center. The other member 39 of the hingeconsists of a sheet metal strap secured 011 the top of the portion 27 ofthe tongue as by the rivets or bolts 40 and ll. The lower end of thishinge member 39 is of course curved to form the bearing aperture throughwhich the rivet 36 passes. The latch member 42 consists of the bodyportion having the ears 43 turned up so that the latch may be pivoted onthe under side of the portion 27 of the tongue as by the rivet or bolt4A. The body portion has at its forward end the tongue l5 cooperatingwith the recesses 38 and at its rear the thumb piece a6. A suitablycurved leaf spring 47 is secured between the latch member and the underside of the portion 27 of the tongue by the bolt or rivet 4E0, s o as tohold the nose 4-5 in engagement with the particular recess 38 with whichis set. The operation of this latch mechanism will be apparent, and bymeans of it the portion 27 of the tongue may be set at any one of thethree angles shown, so as to ralse the tongue to the proper height toaccommodate the particular individual who may be drawing the sulky bythe handle L7 secured on the outer end of the tongue.

While I have shown and described my invention as embodied in the formwhich I at present consider best adapted to carryout the purpose, itwill be understood that it is capable of modifications and that I do notdesire to be limited in the interpretation of the following claims"except as may be necessitated by the state of the prior art.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates is 1. In a device of the class described, the combination with asubstantially U-shaped frame constructed of a continuous piece of metal.and having its ends turned downward, of an axle extending transverselythereof and supported therefrom, wheels journaled on the axle, leafsprings secured to the parallel portions of the U-shaped frame, and abody supported from. said springs.

2. In a device of the class described, the

combination with a substantially U-shaped frame having its ends turneddownward, of an axle extending transversely thereof and supportedtherefrom, wheels journaled 011 the axle, leaf springs secured to the U-shaped frame, a body supported from said springs, and a standard securedto the U- shaped frame beneath the front end of the body.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination with asubstantially U-shaped frame having its ends turned downward, of an axleextending transversely thereof and supported therefrom, wheels journaledon the axle, leaf springs secured to the U- shaped frame, a bodysupported from said springs, and a tongue directly secured to the centerof the axle and tothe forward end of the U-shaped frame. i

at. In a device of the class described, the combination with asubstantially U-shaped frame having its ends turned downward, of an axleextending transversely thereof and supported therefrom, wheels journaledon the axle, leaf springs secured to the U shaped frame, a bodysupported from said springs, a tongue secured to the center of the axleand to the forward end of the U- shaped frame, and a standard secured tothe U-shaped frame and to the tongue beneath the front end of the body.

5. In a device of the class described, the combination with asubstantially U-shaped frame having its ends turned downward, of an axleextending transversely thereof and supported therefrom, wheels journaledon the axle, leaf springs secured to the U- shaped frame, a bodysupported from said springs, a tongue secured to the center of the axleand to the forward end of the U- shaped frame, and a Ushaped standardhaving the top of its central portion secured to the tongue and theupper ends of its side portions secured to the U-shaped frame.

6. In. a device of the class described, a standard consisting of a metalstrip bent into a general W-shape with the outer por tions thereofextending in a vertical plane substantially at right angles to thevertical plane of the central portion thereof.

7. In a device of the class described, a standard consisting of a metalstrip bent into a general W-shape with the outer portions thereofextending in a vertical plane substantially at right angles to thevertical plane of the central portion thereof, there being twistedportions connecting the outer and central portions.

8. in a device of the class-described, the combination with asubstantially U-shaped frame, of an axle extending transversely thereofand supported therefrom, wheels journaled on the axle, a pair ofU-shaped leaf springs secured to the upper side of the front end of theU-shaped frame, a pair of spirally curved leaf springs secured to therear ends of the upper side of the U-shaped frame, a pair of leafsprings secured to the upper ends of the last mentioned leaf springs,and a body portion supported directly upon the inner ends of the firstand third mentioned pairs of springs.

9. In a device of the class described, the combination with asubstantially U-shaped frame, of a pair of U-shaped leaf springs securedto the upper side of the front end of the U-shaped frame, a pair ofspirally curved leaf springs secured to the rear ends of the upper sideof the U-shaped frame, a pair of leaf springs secured to the upper endsof the last mentioned leaf springs, and a body portion supporteddirectly upon the inner ends of the first and third mentioned pairs ofsprings.

10. In a device of the class described, the combination with asubstantially U-shaped frame, of a pair of U-shaped leaf springs securedto the upper side of the front end of the U-shaped frame, a pair ofspirally curved leaf springs secured to the rear ends of the upper sideof the U-shaped frame, a pair of leaf springs secured to the upper endsof the last mentioned leaf springs, a body portion supported upon theinner ends of the first and third mentioned pairs of springs, and abrace bar connected to the U-shaped frame and to the lower end of thesecond mentioned pair of springs.

11. In a device of the class described, the combination with asubstantially U-shaped frame having the swelled portions in its sidesand the downward turned ends, of an axle extending transversely thereof,bracket pieces connecting the axle and the under side of the swelledportions of the frame, wheels journaled on the axle, a tongue secured tothe under side of the center of the axle and to the center of theforward end of the U- shaped frame, a standard secured to the under sideof the forward end of the U- shaped frame and to an adjacent portion ofthe tongue, pairs of leaf springs secured to the forward and rear endsof the U-shaped frame, and a body portion secured on the upper ends ofthe pairs of springs.

12. In a device of the class described, the' combination with a runninggear, of a tongue secured thereto, means for adjusting and locking thetongue to vary the angle at which the tongue shall stand to the plane ofthe running gears, consisting of a member having pivot bearings and anotched segment with its center struck on said bearings, a tongue memberpivoted in said bearings, and a spring-pressed latch pivoted on thetongue member and cooperating with the notches in the segment.

13. In a device of the class described, the combination of a pair ofwooden tongue members, of a metal portion U-shaped in cross-sectionfitted on one of the tongue members, a strap hinged member secured onthe other tongue member, a U-shaped latch member having the nose andthumb piece pivoted on the opposite side from the strap hinged member,and a leaf spring interposed between the latch and the tongue member towhich it is pivoted, substantially as and for the purpose described.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal,this 31st day of December, A. D. 1915.

REINHARDT H. BROWN. [L. s.]

Witness:

JOHN HOWARD MGELROY,

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

